“I love you, Mattie. Now…run!” Arms wrapped around my waist and tugged me back.
Mattie took off at a full run, and I smiled to myself but only for a second.
Then, I fought like hell. I kicked and clawed, throwing elbows at whoever had their hands on me. I didn’t think I could win,but I fought to buy Mattie time. “No!” I let my body go slack, too heavy to carry, which forced them to drag me.
We stopped moving, and a fist slammed into my side, sending pain blossoming sharp and shooting through my ribs. I clutched my side but remained silent as I pushed back up to my feet. Another blow struck the back of my head and sent me crashing to my knees. Stars exploded behind my eyes, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Still, I kicked a leg out, hoping to come in contact with a body part. I had to keep fighting, to give Mattie a chance to get to safety.
Risking a look, I flicked my gaze to the door and found Mattie on the right side of safety, the metal safety blinds already halfway to the floor.
He’s safe.
Relief pulsed through me, so hard it nearly knocked me unconscious. Or maybe that was the second blow to the head.
“Grab her,” someone shouted, and seconds later, hands grabbed my arms and hauled me back to my feet. I struggled to walk on my own; my body was weak from the body blows, and my mind was too damn fuzzy from the hits to the head.
“Did you kill the bodyguard?” a man demanded.
“No,” a woman scoffed coolly. “He didn’t pay us to kill anyone. The big guy will limp for a while, but he’ll live.”
Thank goodness.I didn’t want anyone losing their life trying to protect me.
Another set of hands grabbed me, and together they dragged me toward the van. Pain shot off like fireworks all over my body. The cold metal hit the back of my legs, and then I was unceremoniously tossed in the back. I tried to relax my body and come up with a plan, but the van was already moving. And then something wet was pressed to my face, directly over my noseand mouth. A sharp, chemical scent burned my lungs with every breath.
Eventually, darkness swallowed me whole.
Chapter 24
Enzo
The phone rang. Once.
I ignored it, pacing the length of the cabin, my thoughts a snarled mess of half-formed plans and bad instincts. The number was unknown but had a Texas area code. There was no fucking reason to answer, not when I had more important things to worry about.
It rang again.
And again.
How the fuck was I supposed to concentrate and come up with a plan if the phone wouldn’t stop ringing? When it rang a fourth time, I stopped, jaw tightening, and finally snatched it off the table. “Who the fuck is this?”
There was a long pause, so long I almost ended the call before a familiar voice spoke. “This is Toni,” a woman said quickly. “I work with Serenity.” The world tilted.
“Where is Ren?” I demanded. “And Matteo?”
There was another pause, the kind that told me nothing in the world would ever be right again, before she could say more.
“There was an incident,” she said carefully, in that slow voice people used on angry animals. “Mattie is here with me. He’s safe, but he’s inconsolable. Serenity was…taken.”
“Taken?” I roared, turning to Luca. The word scraped against my throat, coming out of me like something feral. “Taken by who?” I didn’t remember moving, but suddenly Luca was at my side, his sharp eyes on my face as he reached for his keys and jacket. He took the phone from my hand.
“I don’t know,” Toni answered, her voice quiet and emotional.
Luca handed me the phone and opened the cabin door, motioning to the security team that surrounded the place.
“Brady pulled all the security footage from our parking lot and the surrounding buildings. You need to get here,” she said softly but urgently. “Now.”
“We’re on our way,” I told her and ended the call. My legs didn’t even feel real as I climbed into the back of the SUV. Luca took the seat beside me while two guards sat up front. The other four followed in another black SUV as we made our way down the mountain and to Ren’s office.
